The Opus – Zaha Hadid’s first project in Dubai – is due to open in 2018. The architectural marvel will be the only hotel in the world the late architect designed inside and out. Siting in the heart of the upcoming Burj Khalifa district, it will comprise two separate towers that coalesce into a 300-foot-high cube with a free-flowing curved central void.
The hotel will be part of the Spanish-based Melia Hotels International and have 93 lavish rooms and suites, including the ultra-luxe Suite ME. There will be 98 serviced apartments on the upper floors, and four penthouses with private roof terraces.
The hotel’s extravagant lobby lounge and art gallery, vertical café, and reception area will all showcase furniture that is either custom-designed or hand-selected by Hadid. Pushing the boundaries of imagination, the dramatic public spaces will also include a sprawling 260,000-square-foot entertainment zone and nightclub, an outdoor swimming pool, a spa, and a rooftop terrace with stunning views of Dubai’s vibrant skyline.
The Opus will offer outstanding dining experiences to its guests with a collection of 15 restaurants, including an outpost of London’s contemporary Japanese robatayaki restaurant, Roka. Among the host of new uxury experiences and first-rate service is the ME, where a dedicated “aura manager” will enhance each guest’s visit by sharing the best the city has to offer. ME Dubai’s facilities and Aura service will also be available to the owners of the Opus’s residences.
Of course, the biggest advantage to Opus and the ME Dubai will be the legacy of its creator. One of Hadid’s first projects to be realized posthumously, the structure will serve as a testament to the achievements of one of modern architecture’s greatest minds.
Whatever good things we build end up building us
Architecture should speak of its time and place, but Yearn for timelessness
